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Effects of corridor width and presence on the population dynamics of the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

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Abstract

We tested the effects of increased landscape corridor width and corridor presence on the population dynamics and home range use of the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) within a small-scale fragmented landscape. Our objective was to observe how populations behaved in patchy landscapes where the animals home range exceeded or equaled patch size. We used a small-scale replicated experiment consisting of three sets of two patches each, unconnected or interconnected by 1-m or 5-m wide-corridors, established in an old-field community (S.W. Ohio). Control (0-m) treatments supported significantly lower vole densities than either corridor treatment. Females were the dominant resident sex establishing smaller home ranges (<150m2) than males (>450m2). Significantly more male voles dispersed between patches with corridors than between patches without corridors. However, no difference was observed regarding the number of male voles dispersing between patches connected by corridors when compared to the number dispersing across treatments. Dispersal between connected patches was restricted to corridors based on tracking tube data. Corridor presence was more important than corridor width regarding the movement of male voles within their home range.

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  1. Department of Zoology, Miami University, 45056, Oxford, Ohio, USA

    Vincent N. La Polla & Gary W. Barrett

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  1. Vincent N. La Polla
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  2. Gary W. Barrett
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La Polla, V.N., Barrett, G.W. Effects of corridor width and presence on the population dynamics of the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Landscape Ecol 8, 25–37 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00129865

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